Tanja Sadow
Tanja is an award winning jewellery designer & gemmologist with more than 4 decades of experience educating the jewellery industry across 4…
Dean & FounderFounder, Gemmology, Jewellery Design & Metalsmithing Instructor
Tanja Sadow G.J.G. graduated from the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) in 1983 as a Jewellery Designer, Jeweller and Gemmologist. During her studies she worked part time for a jewellery company in Los Angeles carrying out repairs, pearl re-stringing, inventory control, and sales of important pieces. She attended the first Gemmological Symposium in 1982 and received several awards for her designs including a first prize from Intergold International in New York in 1983.
In 1984 she was invited to join the staff at the GIA in the capacity of resident Instructor for the Jewellery Manufacturing department teaching Design and Wax Modelling of Jewellery. After a short time she became one of the only resident/extension Instructors which gave her the opportunity to teach not only in Los Angeles but extensively throughout the USA for three years.
Her first visit to Singapore was in 1987 where she remained for two years wholesaling Rubies, Emeralds and Sapphires, from time to time attending the major Jewellery and Gem shows world-wide as Exhibitor and when in Singapore teaching various subjects at the Chinese and American Women's Associations and other Clubs.
At the end of her two year stay in Singapore the GIA asked her to return to Los Angeles to join the team of extension Instructors. Tanja taught Design of Jewellery, Diamond, Coloured Stone and Pearl courses throughout the USA and World-wide. She taught the very first GIA resident Jewellery Design program in Singapore in March of 1990.
In 1991 she was happy to accept an invitation back to Singapore for three months to assist in the preparation of an E.D.B. report on "Enhancing Creativity in Jewellery Design" returning to the USA in time to partake in the second Gemmological Symposium.
Tanja then returned to London for nine months where she was commissioned to write the Gemmology curriculum for the Jewellery Industry Training Centre of Singapore (JITCS). On completion of the curriculum she returned to Singapore to set-up classes and teach Gemmology, Design of Jewellery and Wax Modelling both day and evening classes. She purchased all of the Design Equipment, Gemmological Instruments, Diamonds and Coloured stones for the classes. She also produced a variety of additional short courses, talks for school leavers, and intensive Gemmological seminars for Jewellers and Jewellery Companies throughout her two year contract.
When she completed her contract with the JITCS Tanja decided to settle in Singapore in 1994 when she realised the great public demand and lack of general instruction available in the field of gems and jewellery. She took a year to write and set up a series of intensive seminars offering basic but important information most useful to both the layman and the jeweller. The jewellery making classes were also geared towards the general public, but in the form of a skill which takes less time and effort than working with precious metals and involves using more gem materials.
In October of 1995, JusTanja Pte. Ltd. was born and by the end of the year 2007 over 11,000 people have enjoyed and benefited from the knowledge Tanja has imparted. In 2001, to better serve the needs of her retail clients as well as her students, she created the BeadHub - offering the largest selection of finest gem-quality materials, findings and jewellery making equipment in Singapore. In early 2007 Tanja successfully package and sold the Brand and business interests of BeadHub in order to focus on her academic vision.
In late 2007 Tanja founded Singapore Society known as the Guild of Jewellery Professionals and Artisans (GJPA), a standards organization to moderate the standards of education, fabrication techniques and materials used in the jewellery sector not related directly to fine jewellery. In 2007 she formed the Jewellery Design and Management International School in Singapore, to provide education in the jewellery arts to local and foreign students in the region.
In the past years, Tanja has overseen the growth of the JDMIS into an established regional training brand, delivering exceptional jewellery education to individuals from over 42 different countries and training the best local and international brands.
